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Chapter 26: The Funeral
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Lessons in Chemistry, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Gender Inequality
Science vs. Religion
Overcoming Tragedy and Trauma
Family
Summary
Analysis
In May 1961, Mrs. Mudford assigns her class a project to create family trees. Harriet, feeling the assignment is just a nosy endeavor by Mrs. Mudford to pry into their lives, criticizes it, believing that basing one's identity on one’s ancestors is misguided. Additionally, Harriet learns from a conversation with Madeline that many of Madeline's classmates are bringing leftovers from dishes featured on Elizabeth's cooking show, revealing its unexpected popularity. Harriet is surprised, as she had doubted the show’s success due to Elizabeth's serious demeanor and the integration of chemistry lessons. She had been advising Elizabeth to conform to the producers’ and sponsors’ expectations because she did not think housewives would like the product Elizabeth was selling. However, Elizabeth adamantly refused to comply, not wanting to reinforce stereotypes about women's incompetence.
Mrs. Mudford’s assignment is sure to be a problem for Madeline, who never knew her father or the truth about his parentage. Furthermore, Elizabeth, who already has a difficult time discussing he family, is sure to dislike the assignment if she learns about it. The dishes Madeline’s classmates are bringing into school demonstrate that Supper at Six has a far wider reach than the men in charge at the local station are giving it credit for. Whether they want to admit it or not, Elizabeth is having a positive impact on the health of the local population while also providing a voice for women.
Themes
Although Harriet and Elizabeth share a close friendship and agree on many things, they differ in their views on gender roles. Elizabeth, unlike Harriet, firmly believes that the societal limitations on women and the perceived superiority of men are cultural constructs, not biological truths.
Madeline, meanwhile, is worried about her inability to complete the family tree due to her limited knowledge about Calvin. Harriet comforts her, accidentally revealing that Calvin had a kind of “fairy godmother.” Harriet learned this information while snooping around the apartment, where she found a letter from the boys home he grew up in. The letter was asking for donations because the home had just lost a major benefactor.
Harriet's accidental disclosure of a "fairy godmother" associated with Calvin adds a new dimension to his past and raises questions about the identity of the benefactor who supported the boys home. This revelation suggests a hidden figure in Calvin's life, perhaps the same one who has been making donations to the Hastings Institute.
Themes
Harriet pieces together that the donor was making donations on Calvin’s behalf and stopped after he left the home. Despite Madeline’s curiosity about her father’s past, Harriet insists she keep the assignment hidden from Elizabeth. Instead, Madeline starts asking Harriet questions that Harriet is not equipped to answer. Overwhelmed, she decides to take Madeline to the library, where she can do research.
Despite Madeline’s curiosity about her father, Harriet wants to keep the assignment from Elizabeth because she feels like Elizabeth might not allow it to go further. Harriet wants Madeline to complete the project because she thinks it will be good for her in the long run. Additionally, Harriet tends snoop and would like to know the truth for herself.
Themes
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